The Scorpion and the Toad
Recap Barney notices Marshall checking out Robin, and he and Ted are excited that Marshall seems to be getting over Lily. Barney insists on taking Marshall out to meet women. The first time Marshall tries to talk to a woman, he fails horribly, talking awkwardly about sweat. Barney intervenes and ultimately goes home with the woman. Even though Marshall initially refuses to go out again, Barney convinces him to try again and teaches him Barney's Rules of Mating Without Dating. Trying to use one of Barney's rules, Marshall approaches a woman but quickly admits that he just got out of a long relationship and doesn't know what he is doing. The woman actually finds Marshall's admission charming and the two begin to chat when Barney approaches. Barney introduces himself and then proceeds to hit on the woman and then take her home. Barney convinces Marshall to go out with him again, this time to a college bar where he thinks that Marshall may have more luck. Marshall does meet a woman, who even gives him her phone number, but in the cab ride home Barney steals the number from Marshall. Barney comes back to Marshall the following day saying that the woman he met at the college bar has a twin sister and invites him on a double date. During the double date Barney pulls Marshall aside to tell him that he had spoken with the sisters who both wanted to go home with him. Upset and frustrated, Marshall leaves the bar. Meanwhile, Lily, recently back from San Francisco, makes contact with Robin, who goes apartment-hunting with her. Robin tells Ted that Lily is back in town and that she seems really happy. Lily told Robin that her art program was amazing and that her teacher praised her work, saying that he wasn't able to teach her anything. Lily also loved San Francisco because she met such interesting people. Ted reacts badly to the news that Lily is so happy, saying that after dumping Marshall she should feel terrible. Robin convinces him not to be mad at Lily for moving on and they join Lily to continue her search for an apartment. After spending a little time with Lily, Ted tells Robin that he can tell that Lily is miserable and that she is just pretending to be happy. Robin thinks that Lily really is happy with her life, so Ted makes a bet with her, saying that after three tequila shots Lily will tell them the truth about anything. Three tequila shots later, Lily still seems happy and Ted admits that Robin was right. But after Lily receives a call from an apartment manager saying that someone else got the apartment that she wanted, Lily breaks down and admits that she is miserable and wants to reconcile with Marshall. She reveals that she lied about her art program—her teacher said that she had no talent—and the interesting people in San Francisco. She asks Ted if he thinks Marshall would take her back and Ted says absolutely but warns her that she should only talk to Marshall if she knows for certain that she wants to reconcile with him. Lily goes to find Marshall and runs into him as he is coming back from his double date with Barney. Lily apologizes to Marshall, saying that going to San Francisco was the worst mistake that she has ever made, and she asks if they can get back together. Marshall says that when Lily broke up with him and said that they needed time apart to discover who they are, that she broke his heart. But he has realized that she was right, that he does need to find himself outside of his relationship with Lily. Marshall says that he thinks that they shouldn't get back together, at least at the moment. Saddened, Lily asks if they will still see each other and Marshall admits that he isn't sure, as the two begin talking about their summers. Storming into MacLaren's (at Marshall's request), Lily approaches Barney, still schmoozing the twins, and throws a drink in his face, claiming that he gave her chlamydia. She then returns in a hat, posing as an alleged twin sister, scaring off his dates. Continuity *In , Lily reveals that Barney visited her in San Francisco and convinced her to return to New York and be with Marshall, adding that he couldn't keep stealing girls from him, referring to the events of this episode. *Barney uses magic again to impress girls, which he first used in . *Ted tells Robin about a 1939 penny he found on the subway; this penny forms the basis of the events that transpire in . Gallery 2x02.jpg|Lily tells Robin about her summer while apartment shopping. Lily's back to New York.png|Lily surprises Robin at her apartment. Marshall is single after 9 years.png|Marshall is single for the first time in 9 years. Lily finnaly faces Marshall.png|Lily finally faces Marshall, after a whole summer apart in San Francisco. vlcsnap-2013-03-25-19h04m50s114.png Memorable Quotes '' (What Lily claims happened.) Notes and Trivia Goofs and Errors *In , Robin says that Lily is allergic to dogs, but Lily spends time in Robin's apartment near two dogs in this episode and does not seem bothered. *Halfway through the episode, Lily gets a phone call about the house she's interested in. Every time the camera perspective changes, the dog is sitting in a different spot in the room. Allusions and Outside References *The Scorpion and The Toad is a children's fable: The Scorpion asks the Toad, "Can you give me a lift across the pond?" The Toad says, "No, because you'll sting me and I'll die." The Scorpion says, "No I won't, because then we'll both drown." So the Toad agrees, and the Scorpion hops on its back. Halfway across the pond, the Scorpion stings the Toad. As they're sinking, the Toad says, "Why? Now we'll both die," and the Scorpion says, "Because it's in my nature." *When Lily says "Marshall, Marshall, Marshall!" in her head constantly, it is a reference to Jan Brady's whining about "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" in the Brady Bunch. *When Marshall and Barney are fighting over the girl's number in the cab, Marshall shouts "You don't want to see what I'm like when I'm angry!" which is a reference to the Hulk. Music *Walk Idiot Walk - The Hives *It Was Love - The Elected Other Notes *The physical bar "The Scorpion & the Toad" facade seen briefly in this episode is the front to an actual pub known as McCormack's on 3rd. Ave. Guests *Diane Mizota - Marshall's first date *Josh Wingate - Mike *Nicole Garza - Jenny *Natalie Garza - Jessie *Sundeep Ahuja - Dan *Barry Finkel - Crazy Man *Kelly Mullis - Paula *Lara Wickes - Amy (2) Reception References See also * *Bro Code *Jenny External Links *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0869673/ ''The Scorpion and the Toad] at the Internet Movie Database *[http://www.tv.com/show/how-i-met-your-mother/the-scorpion-and-the-toad/episode/852461/summary.html The Scorpion and the Toad] at TV.com uk:The Scorpion and the Toad Category:Episodes Category:Season 2